Text Size: The Ebola virus, first discovered in 1976, is one of the most terrifying viruses known to modern medical science. Believed to have made the jump from animals to humans it is a deadly illness with a fatality rate of 90 per cent.

The Ministry of Health is entirely correct to proceed with an excess of caution in raising concerns and increasing the alert status of port health officials regarding the potential threat of the Ebola virus disease. With more than 200 cases reported in West Africa and a startlingly high percentage originating in Guinea, where 168 cases include 108 that have resulted in death, improving screening at all the country’s ports of entry is simply good sense.According to Dr Clive Tilluckdharry, the government has ordered “strict monitoring,” and clearly communicating its mission will go some distance in improving the public’s reaction to the inevitable slowdowns that result when entering Trinidad and Tobago. The Ebola virus, first discovered in 1976, is one of the most terrifying viruses known to modern medical science. Believed to have made the jump from animals to humans it is a deadly illness with a fatality rate of 90 per cent. Severely ill patients can only be placed on supportive care. There is no vaccine that works on Ebola.

WINNIPEG - Canada will donate a small quantity of an experimental Ebola vaccine developed in its government lab to the World Health Organization for use in Africa, the country's health minister said on Tuesday.

The decision to donate the vaccine came after the WHO said on Tuesday that it was ethical to offer untested drugs to people infected by the virus.

The Canadian government will donate between 800 to 1,000 doses of the vaccine, with the final number given dependent on how much Canada holds back for research and clinical trials. The government will also keep a small supply in case it is needed domestically.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose said she offered the vaccine to Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the WHO.

The U.S. is also working on a vaccine and the WHO and governments involved were discussing possible use in Africa, Dr. Greg Taylor, deputy chief public health officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada told Reuters in an interview ahead of the Canadian announcement.

Canada only has about 1,500 animal doses of the vaccine, which it invented a few years ago, and would need four to six months to make a large quantity, he said. The government's vaccine is separate from the treatment being developed by Canada's Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp.

"We see this as a global resource, something we need to put on the global table to say ... how can we make best use of this asset? "We're looking to do that as fast as we can," Taylor said, speaking from Ottawa.The Ebola outbreak is the world's largest and deadliest. So far, 1,013 people have died, the vast majority in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The Canadian vaccine, which the agency licensed for commercialization to U.S. firm BioProtection Systems, a unit of Newlink Genetics, has proven effective in animals but has never been tested in humans, Taylor said.

Last week, Iowa-based NewLink said that BioProtection had a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for studies to bring the Canadian Ebola vaccine closer to human testing.

"We've been trying to figure out how we can make a contribution in the fight against this disease and get our vaccine into the clinic," Brian Wiley, NewLink vice-president of business development, told Reuters on Tuesday. "A large amount of work still needs to be done, but when there is a dire need the powers that be move at a quicker pace."

Canada's Taylor did not specify which of several U.S. vaccines in development he was referring to that may be used in Africa along with the Canadian vaccine.

Profectus BioSciences of Tarrytown, New York, has tested its Ebola vaccine in monkeys with good results, its chief science officer John Eldridge said on Tuesday.

Still, deciding whether to use an experimental drug on humans is "very difficult," Taylor said.

"You really don't know how safe it is, you don't know what the side effects are going to be. But in this extraordinary circumstance in Africa right now, we're trying to do everything we can to assist."

The first doses in Africa would likely be available to health care workers, Taylor said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada was also involved in the development of ZMapp, an experimental Ebola treatment licensed by U.S. firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical that has been used to treat two infected American aid workers. Liberia said on Tuesday it will get Mapp's drug to treat two doctors.

The two American doctors that contracted Ebola have both been cured by an experimental drug. What are the ethics in withholding this treatment from Liberians in need?

Experimental drugs are by definition riskier prospects. Moreover, the manufacture of them is often not perfected, being focused on very small scale prototype production. Hopefully, if the stuff works and is safe it'll be shipped over.

The two American doctors that contracted Ebola have both been cured by an experimental drug. What are the ethics in withholding this treatment from Liberians in need?

Experimental drugs are by definition riskier prospects. Moreover, the manufacture of them is often not perfected, being focused on very small scale prototype production. Hopefully, if the stuff works and is safe it'll be shipped over.

The news reporting that the Liberian hospitals are not up to the standards of the West. The implication is that African hospitals are too poorly run to use this technique - BBC

West African nations governments failure to deal with the disease before it became widespread is what bothers me the most. In the Ivory Coast when less than 100 people were infected there were community leaders and doctors crying out to the government to treat the disease as priority and as a threat to everyone, but of course their cries were brushed off. (I believe they were brushed off because the government believe the disease was not this lethal and state funding could be spent elsewhere) It wasn't until after the disease started spreading like rapid wildfire these nations governments started taking the necessary measures like isolating those who were infected and pleading with other nations for medical assistance.

Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas has instructed his staff to convene a “national conversation on Carnival and Ebola” by next week to discuss the future of the festival.

Ebola is a deadly virus originating in parts of West Africa. It is classified as a haemorrhagic fever and may be transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood and secretions. Ebola has claimed the life of one person in the United States, Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian, and 4,033 people in other parts of the world.

Douglas said he will have to be guided by the directives from the Ministries of Health and National Security. He also said it may not be the first time Carnival, which is often billed as “The Greatest Show on Earth”, might be postponed.

Meanwhile, Douglas said plans are moving apace for Carnival 2015, which is scheduled for February 16 and 17.

Carnival researcher Alvin Daniell said Carnival was shifted from February 14 and 15 in 1972 to May due to the polio epidemic which had claimed ten lives. It had prompted the late Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) to sing the classic “Rainorama”, “Polio or no polio: We Want We Mas”.

Via a telephone interview yesterday, Douglas said: “I won’t be making the decision alone. I have immediately began to ask my staff to issue a national conversation on Carnival and Ebola. By next week Wednesday or Thursday, we will have a conversation with all the relevant stakeholders to look at all the options if it ever reaches to that.”

Douglas added, “I am sure Health and Security would make a decision. They would be at the forefront to guide the necessary level of thought. It may not be the first time Carnival is postponed because of the threat of a debilitating disease.”

Sharing his sentiments on Ebola, Douglas said, “It is a significant threat to the world. It is ‘ground zero’ in the African continent and places like Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. This is not chikungunya (CHIKV) or a simple virus. It has the potential to spread across the country. I am committed to protecting the health and safety of the national community. For a small country like ours, an Ebola outbreak can decimate it in a small space of time.”

Asked about Carnival 2015 preparations, Douglas said, “Preparations are in place for Carnival. The National Carnival Commission and I met. Plans are in place for the routes. I have been to a number of band launches. Everybody will have to be cautious and on their guard. Those of us who travel we will have to be extremely cautious. The State is looking at controlling and making sure people are arriving on the shores after being properly screened.”

Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan said yesterday, “We have to look at the international approaches. I have met with the adviser on health issues. I will take a decision. It is not a decision against having the Carnival but we are looking at international travel patterns. And a lot of screening will be going on to prevent the transmission. Once that occurs, there would be no problem.”

Principal Medical Officer of Environmental Health Dr Clive Tilluckdharry said, “We have to wait and see how it (Ebola) goes.”

With regard to chikungunya, Tilluckdharry said, “The number should be 100. People have to take the necessary precaution and keep their surroundings clean.” —See Page 23

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De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

de scolding is a deflection - obama try to pull a fast one and make a 30-year old obama booster the surgeon general of the nation. ah tell allyuh obama have a weak bench - this administration is a B-team at best. dey eh able, stumbling along and allyuh happily lowering the bar.

in better news, sound like nigeria has managed to stem the ebola outbreak. this is very good news; glad nigeria demonstrating a competent public health response.

Persons from Ebola stricken countries—Sierra Leone, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Nigeria—have been banned from entering this country with immediate effect.

Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan made the announcement at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Ann’s.

Additionally, persons who have visited those countries within a six-week period will also be prohibited from entering T&T.

Citizens of this country who visited or live in those countries and wish to come home will be quarantined for a 21-day period.

Khan said all Government officials have also been banned from travelling to any of the Ebola stricken countries.

Khan said all airlines will be notified of this decision.

Banning United States travellers is not being considered as Khan said the US has a stringent screening system in place.

He also assured there was no suspected Ebola case in this country but stressed the need for preparedness.

Khan said that a bio-containment unit will be bought at a cost of $3.2 million and will be housed at the Caura Hospital.

He said this unit comprises an eight-room isolation tent with negative pressure and human waste incinerator among other features.

Khan said several hazardous material suits (hazmat) would be also be purchased at a cost of US$20,000 for one.

He said personal protective equipment (PPE) were already available at NIPDEC and had been delivered to health centres and county medical officers of health.

Khan said further the Ebola prevention and response team will coordinate and manage all types of activities related to the prevention and management of the deadly virus.

He said this team will also make a determination on whether Carnival 2015 should be cancelled.

The team is led by Brigadier Anthony Spencer and includes Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Colin Furlonge, representatives from the Office of Disaster and Preparedness Management (ODPM), the Civil Aviation Authority, the Airports Authority, the Port Authority, Maritime Services Division, the National Operations Centre, the private sector and union representatives.

Government, acting on advice from Health Ministry officials, recently vetoed a trip by a Trinidad and Tobago delegation to attend the annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference which took place in Cameroon, Africa, between October 6 and 12.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 4,500 people have died from the Ebola virus worldwide, including 236 health care workers.

EBOLA DEATHS in banned countries:

Liberia- 2,458

Sierra Leone- 1,183

Guinea- 843

Congo- 49

Nigeria- 8

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The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

First statement is based on sensible speculation due to the high number of visitors that T&T get from the USA compared with West Africa and considering that Ebola is now in the USA and is probably more widespread there than is being acknowledged by the American media.

Second statement is also based on logical deduction based on the fact that scientist in the USA have a patent for the Ebola virus.Normally when someone owns a patent for a virus it means that they control production of that virus and would also have done experiments on said virus.

It also usually means that you also have and own the antidote or vaccine to resist said virus which I am sure the US scientist also have.

Ebola like AIDS was released in African mainly for population and economic control and to keep the rest of the World looking at Africa in a negative light just when Africa was rising to become one of the world's economic superpowers.

The ploy to keep the Black nation from rising to its rightful place on the planet continues.

« Last Edit: October 17, 2014, 10:22:07 PM by Socapro »

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De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

First statement is based on sensible speculation due to the high number of visitors that T&T get from the USA compared with West Africa and considering that Ebola is now in the USA and is probably more widespread there than is being acknowledged by the American media.

Second statement is also based on logical deduction based on the fact that scientist in the USA have a patent for the Ebola virus.Normally when someone owns a patent for a virus it means that they control production of that virus and would also have done experiments on said virus.

It also usually means that you also have and own the antidote or vaccine to resist said virus which I am sure the US scientist also have.

Ebola like AIDS was released in African mainly for population and economic control and to keep the rest of the World looking at Africa in a negative light just when Africa was rising to become one of the world's economic superpowers.

The ploy to keep the Black nation from rising to its rightful place on the planet continues.

There are 243 million people living in the U.S... not counting the Mexicans who close de blinds when the Census people came knocking. Of that 243 million people, about 5 contract Ebola. The probability of transmission is pretty small, considering you need direct physical contact with an infected person in order to contract the virus yourself. Put short, you need way more people to contract Ebola in the US before Americans threaten anybody else with spreading the disease.

As for the second, it's foolishness, pure and simple. Clearly you neither researched what yuh was posting, nor did you think it through. The first known incidence of Ebola occured in Zaire (The Congo) in 1976. This patent was applied for 32 years after Ebola first arrived on the scene in 2008. Not only that, but the patent wasn't even for this Ebola virus, but a related strain called Bundibugyo which has yet to be contracted by any human.

First statement is based on sensible speculation due to the high number of visitors that T&T get from the USA compared with West Africa and considering that Ebola is now in the USA and is probably more widespread there than is being acknowledged by the American media.

Second statement is also based on logical deduction based on the fact that scientist in the USA have a patent for the Ebola virus.Normally when someone owns a patent for a virus it means that they control production of that virus and would also have done experiments on said virus.

It also usually means that you also have and own the antidote or vaccine to resist said virus which I am sure the US scientist also have.

Ebola like AIDS was released in African mainly for population and economic control and to keep the rest of the World looking at Africa in a negative light just when Africa was rising to become one of the world's economic superpowers.

The ploy to keep the Black nation from rising to its rightful place on the planet continues.

There are 243 million people living in the U.S... not counting the Mexicans who close de blinds when the Census people came knocking. Of that 243 million people, about 5 contract Ebola. The probability of transmission is pretty small, considering you need direct physical contact with an infected person in order to contract the virus yourself. Put short, you need way more people to contract Ebola in the US before Americans threaten anybody else with spreading the disease.

As for the second, it's foolishness, pure and simple. Clearly you neither researched what yuh was posting, nor did you think it through. The first known incidence of Ebola occured in Zaire (The Congo) in 1976. This patent was applied for 32 years after Ebola first arrived on the scene in 2008. Not only that, but the patent wasn't even for this Ebola virus, but a related strain called Bundibugyo which has yet to be contracted by any human.

Honestly Bakes you haven't told me anything I don't already know about Ebola but typically you have made an arrogant assumption about how much I know or don't know about Ebola in an effort to seek an argument.

Also you may not be aware but there is actually a suspicion that the new strain of the Ebola virus that the Americans have developed can be transmitted by air as some medical staff wearing protective suits have mysteriously contracted the Ebola without touching patients. Research on this possibility is still ongoing but I am sure we will more about it sooner or later if true.

The rest of stuff you typed does not dismiss what I speculated on as you also based your argument on an assumption like I did for mines. Btw the info you gave about only 5 people in America having contracted Ebola is what has been reported so far by the American media. We don't know that it is fact but it is what the American media will like you to believe and you are welcomed to believe it if you wish.What any sensible thinking person would realise is that there are probably way more people between Dallas and Huston who may have contracted the virus but you need to ask some logical questions to get to that point and not swallow whatever the official American media tells you.

At any rate we are both giving our opinions on the Ebola issue and I believe that it is more likely to spread to the Caribbean from America than from Africa especially if they make the foolish assumption that folks coming from America will be Ebola free and should not be checked out properly.

Have a look at these videos giving another perspective on Ebola which I am more inclined to believe.

Infowars.com is calling for a general strike across the United States in response to the federal government’s botched response to the Ebola outbreak and the Obama administration’s refusal to block flights coming in from West Africa.

We are calling on everyone to get behind the strike by tweeting under the hashtag #stopebolastrike and by personally participating in the general strike from Monday to Wednesday. We also invite other media outlets and media personalities to support the strike.

What you say makes no sense. I make no arrogant assumption, I'm simply pointing out the very obvious logical failures in your position. There is no 'new strain' of Ebola, it's the same virus as the 1976 infection. That timeline alone tells you that the epidemic we're seeing now isn't related to the patent you linked... but according to you you already knew that (I ent "telling yuh nothing yuh didn't already know"), so I suppose yuh posted an irrelevant link because yuh fingers needed the exercise.

The fact that you're suggesting that it might be transmitting via the air also only reveals your own ignorance as to how contagions spread. Ebola doesn't spread via air, just like AIDS doesn't spread via air, that's not going to change because that's not how these two particular viruses operate. Call that "arrogance" if yuh want to, but that's just simple scientific fact. But don't believe me, keep watching more Alex Jones videos.

What you say makes no sense. I make no arrogant assumption, I'm simply pointing out the very obvious logical failures in your position. There is no 'new strain' of Ebola, it's the same virus as the 1976 infection. That timeline alone tells you that the epidemic we're seeing now isn't related to the patent you linked... but according to you you already knew that (I ent "telling yuh nothing yuh didn't already know"), so I suppose yuh posted an irrelevant link because yuh fingers needed the exercise.

The fact that you're suggesting that it might be transmitting via the air also only reveals your own ignorance as to how contagions spread. Ebola doesn't spread via air, just like AIDS doesn't spread via air, that's not going to change because that's not how these two particular viruses operate. Call that "arrogance" if yuh want to, but that's just simple scientific fact. But don't believe me, keep watching more Alex Jones videos.

Stop with the lame hogwash argument Bakes, you are sounding rather dumb now. Are you a scientist? No you are not and I suspect we should thank God for that!

Well I know and read enough to know that viruses do mutate over time especially ones that have been around since the 1970's and not only that but scientists who experiment on viruses can also speed up the mutation process especially if they were the sick ones who created the virus in the first place and want to ensure the new strain can spread more rapidly and take out more victims.

In my humble opinion I make a lot more sense that you in this argument and I am quite happy that I am not blessed or cursed depending on how we want to look at it with your level of intelligence.

I think you need to educate yourself a bit more on Ebola if you are trying to impress anyone with your knowledge. Did you look at the videos?If you did then you would not still be arguing and making yourself look even less informed that you were previously looking.

« Last Edit: October 18, 2014, 03:30:28 PM by Socapro »

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De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

Stop with the lame hogwash argument Bakes, you are sounding rather dumb now. Are you a scientist? No you are not and I suspect we should thank God for that!Well I know and read enough to know that viruses do mutate over time especially one that has been around since the 1970's and not only that but scientist who experiment on viruses can also speed up the mutation process especially if they were the sick ones who created the virus in the first place and want to enure the new strain can spread more rapidly and take out more victims.

In my humble opinion I make a lot more sense that you in this argument and I am quite happy that I am not blessed or cursed depending on how we want to look at it with your level of intelligence.

I think you need to educate yourself a bit more on Ebola if you are trying to impress any with your knowledge. Did you look at the video?If you did then you would not still be arguing and making yourself look even less informed that you were previously looking.

Fella save yuhself de long talk, you cannot question or impugn my intelligence. I am not the smartest man in the world, I sure I'm not even the smartest man on this forum, but you have proved yourself time and time again to be a spectacular dumbass, so you cannot even fix your mouth to question me. I may not be a scientist but I graduated with a minor concentration in Biology and have enough of a background and understanding to know what I'm talking about. Viruses can and do mutate, but they don't mutate to alter whether they're airborne or transmitted via contac. What part of "it's the same virus as the 1976 infection" do you NOT understand? Maybe you here to impress man but I get enough accolades and satisfaction in real life than to come looking for it on this forum.